Carr Vale Tern Rafts

Carr Vale Tern Rafts, Bolsover

Carr Vale Nature Reserve, described as “the jewel in the crown of Derbyshire Wildlife Trust’s reserves”, is a regionally- and nationally-important habitat for birds, with some 211 species of bird recorded there.

Though home to regionally and
nationally rare species, it is the sheer diversity of breeding bird
species that makes this reserve special. Amongst these breeding
bird species are those that require rafts to nest on, not least
Common Tern and Black-headed Gull; the latter being particularly
effective at driving off predators during the breeding season.

The first raft at the reserve was
launched in 2006 and was immediately used by a pair of terns, who
raised three chicks. Another year and another raft and it became
clear that the reserve had many more potential occupants than raft
space when a pair of Canadian Geese and Common Coots started using
the rafts. The geese and coots, well known for being aggressive
during the breeding season, either evicted their neighbours or,
tragically, killed the chicks that had hatched. More rafts were
needed to help increase the Common Tern and Black-headed Gull
population, as well as support these other species.

DWT applied to Viridor Credits
for funding to install four new rafts and repair the existing
rafts. Their application was successful and the work carried out in
April 2012 saw the floatation of the new rafts as well as two
smaller rafts salvaged from the remains of the old ones. It is
hoped that this extra room will make a significant impact on the
numbers of the Common Tern, and maintain the reserve's special bird
population.

UPDATE - 15 August 2012

Oystercatchers -
One of the rafts was used by a pair of Oystercatchers, and they
hatched three young. Two have survived into near-adulthood and it
won't be long until they're flying. This is a great improvement on
2011, where a pair of birds nested twice but failed to rear any
young.

Black-headed Gulls
- one pair hatched two young on one of the revamped rafts, one of
which fledged. A second pair of gulls hatched three young on the
other revamped raft and they have all fledged. A third pair
currently have two young on one of the new rafts. Additionally, a
fourth pair of gulls laid three eggs but abandoned their nest and a
fifth pair built a nest but deserted it early on. Another bird is
apparently sitting, which may be a sixth pair or a second brood by
the successful first pair. This is a vast improvement on 2011 when
only one pair nested and failed to raise any young at all.

Common Tern - one
pair did nest on one of the new rafts but were sat for so long it
became apparent that the eggs did not hatch.This is a similiar
situation to 2011. However, it is positive that no Canada geese or
coots were able to nest on any of the rafts this year, whereas last
year, single pairs of each raised young.

In the words of Mark Beevers.
Volunteer Rreseve Manager: "despite the failure of the terns to
hatch any young, the new rafts have been a resounding success".